The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Tony Live! One For My Baby (And One More For the Road)

The song of the day for Saturday, February 29, 2020, is “One For My Baby (And One More For the Road).”

About This Song

“One For The Road” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s The Limit, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen called this song one of his “tapeworms” as at 48 bars, it was longer than the standard 32 bar popular song. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, says that “the honors must go the lyric. Just imagine having the acuity and courage to start a song, as Mercer does, with “It’s a quarter to three”!

About This Version

Tony Bennett performed “One For My Baby (And One More For the Road)” at the White House Concert, 1962, at the invitation of President John Kennedy. The album Bennett/Brubeck: The White Sessions, Live 1962 captured the sets by Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett, as well as improv session.

“One For My Baby (And One More For the Road),” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Saturday, January 4, 2020, is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

One of the great songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 and first recorded by Glenn Miller. It was also used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It’s been recorded many times and used in several films, including the 1956 film Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

Tony Bennett, along with the Dave Brubeck Trio (Brubeck, piano; Eugene Wright, bass; Joe Morello, drums), recorded “That Old Black Magic” in an improv session after the rehearsed sets by both artists. I love the bet of this recording; Eugene Wright and Joe Morello do a great job backing the stars: Tony and Dave Brubeck. It’s a great recording!

The tape of concert was lost for years, misfiled in the classical vaults at Columbia. Luckily, the tapes were discovered and released on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 in 2013, not long after Dave Brubeck’s death.

“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Thursday, October 17, 2019, is “That Old Black Magic.”

About Today

I really do try hard to not repeat songs too often as the song of the day. In fact, I strive for balance of recordings that we Tony Bennett fans know and love with lesser-known but equally terrific recordings. Today is one of those exceptions–I found myself singing “That Old Black Magic” in the shower this morning and knew I had to showcase it today. It’s just one of those songs!

About This Song

One of the great songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 and first recorded by Glenn Miller and was also used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It’s been recorded many times and used in several films, including the 1956 film Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and the Dave Brubeck Trio (Brubeck on piano, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums) recorded this improvisation of “That Old Black Magic” on August 28, 1962, at a concert celebrating that year’s White House interns.

The tapes from that concert were long thought lost. They were recently discovered in the Sony/Columbia vaults, filed accidentally in the classical section, and released in 2013 on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962.

“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 28, 2019, is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

One of the great songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 and first recorded by Glenn Miller. It was used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It’s been recorded many times and used in several films, including the 1956 film Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

On August 28, 1962, Tony Bennett with the Ralph Sharon Trio and the Dave Brubeck Quartet were invited by President John F. Kennedy to present a concert to thank all of the White House college interns. Initially, the concert was to bed held in the Rose Garden, but so much interest was generated about this concert that it was moved to the outdoor Sylvan Theatre at the base of the Washington Monument.

The evening started with five songs performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, consisting of Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto sax, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. This was followed by six songs performed by Tony Bennett with The Ralph Sharon Trio, consisting of Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums.

After his set, Bennett returned to the stage with Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, and Joe Morello for an improvised and completely unrehearsed set. The highlight of this set (well, for me anyway) was their performance of “That Old Black Magic.”

For many years, the tapes from this concert were thought to be lost. Not long after Brubeck’s death in 2012, the tapes were found (misfiled in the classical music archives at Columbia), resulting in the 2013 release of Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. Both performers were incredibly popular: Bennett had wowed the critics just a few weeks earlier with his legendary performance at Carnegie Hall on June 29; Brubeck, having recently found incredible success with his song “Take Five,” was busy recording and performing. This album was a rare opportunity to hear both their rehearsed sets as well as their impeccable improvisations.

“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Session, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: There Will Never Be Another You

The song of the day for Friday, March 8, 2019, is “There Will Never Be Another You.”

About This Song

“There Will Never Be Another You” was written in 1942 by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Mack Gordon, for a Sonja Henie vehicle called Iceland, starring Miss Henie and John Payne as a U.S. Marine stationed in Iceland during World War II. The song was introduced in the movie by Joan Merrill. Amazingly, this beautiful song was not nominated for an Academy Award. No matter. The song has become a serious jazz standard and has had many fine recordings, including Bennett’s 1959 recording with Count Basie and his 1962 improvisation with Dave Brubeck at the White House Sessions. Other significant recordings include those by Lionel Hampton, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole, and Sonny Rollins.

About This Version

Today’s version is the terrific improvisation of this tune at the 1962 White House Sessions with the Dave Brubeck Trio. In addition to Brubeck on piano, the trio features Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass. The 2013 album Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 captures the sets for Bennett and Brubeck, as well as a nice improv session with both artists.

There Will Never Be Another You – Live

There Will Never Be Another You – Live, a song by Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio on Spotify

“There Will Never Be Another You,” as well as Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.